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Chapter 4 — Tour De Alto Mare
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"Come on!" Ash shouted in encouragement while tugging aggressively on Buizel's reins. Buizel cried out energetically and sped up further along the canal in response. Ash squinted at the cool rush of moist air that buffeted him and remained firmly focused on the track ahead.
The competitor in front of Ash—a tall man with tanned skin whose Mantine-drawn chariot left a turbulent wake behind him—glanced back and scowled. He tilted his chariot to the side to block Ash's path forward.
Buizel growled and slowed to avoid crashing head-first into the man's chariot. Ash abruptly tugged the line to the right and Buizel followed suit, bolting to the right and speeding up across the water.
"You're not passing me, brat!" the burly man yelled while angling his line to the right to move his chariot just in time to block Ash's second attempt to pass him.
Ash scoffed as Buizel stalled again. 'He reacts quickly to us...' He looked ahead and paid close attention to the upcoming turn. 'It'll be a tight squeeze but I think we can do it.' He instinctively tightened his grip on the line and pressed his feet firmly against his chariot. "Buizel, get ready!"
Buizel briefly glanced back and nodded confidently at Ash. He focused on the canal's sharp turn and the vivid red illusion that signaled it, already knowing his trainer's intentions well. The man angled his chariot and turned around the canal's corner. However, their turn became too wide given Mantine's wide wingspan and large profile.
"Now!" Ash shouted while crouching and pressing his weight to the side to angle his chariot in preparation. Buizel surged forward and swam into the space between the Mantine and the sharp edge of the cobblestone sidewalk. The sharp momentum of the turn pressed Ash lower into his chariot but he barely retained his balance and avoided a fall.
Buizel smirked and swung his dual tails out of the water as he passed next to them to send a large splash into the other competitor, who crouched and shielded his face in response to avoid falling. Buizel snickered at the expletives that Mantine hurled his way in response.
"See ya!" Ash hollered triumphantly as he and Buizel exited the turn, now firmly ahead of the man and his Mantine.
"Get back here, you little—!" the man shouted, whipping Mantine's reins in frustration and raising a fist in protest.
"Show them what you've got, Buizel!" Ash smirked and pressed down onto his chariot. Buizel uttered a taunting cry at the Mantine and sped up, blasting far ahead of the pair and leaving the man looking on with a flabbergasted expression.
"What a terrific maneuver from contestant Ash Ketchum!" the MC shouted enthusiastically over the loudspeakers scattered throughout the racetrack. "A tight squeeze but he's got it! He's now in fifth place! Now, let's see how those behind them are doing!"
"Of course, it was terrific." Ash glanced briefly at Pikachu. "Hey, remember the race at the Orange Islands? It almost feels like it, right, buddy?"
Pikachu laughed and nodded while voicing his thrilled approval. He pointed ahead and adopted a competitive grin.
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